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Pas c h a at t h e D u c k p o n d

LENTEN LESSONS FOR PRE-K TO HIGH SCHOOL

“If anyone has labored from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let him keep the feast. If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no About the Book misgivings; for he shall suffer no Pascha at the Duckpond is written by Mother Melania from Holy loss. If anyone has Assumption Monastery in Calistoga, CA. delayed until the ninth hour, let him The story is written in the form of a fable and intended for children, but I draw near without wouldn’t be at all surprised if this becomes a classic among young and old alike. The story is about a group of animals preparing for Pascha during hesitation. If anyone has arrived even at the eleventh hour, let 1 2 3 him fear not on account of his WORSHIP TEACHING delay…” St. John We participate in What is Great all Living our faith: Chrysostom, additional services at about and why does Fasting, Prayer, & during Lent our attitude matter? Almsgiving Paschal

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Great Lent - although it doesn’t take long before you realize that one of these animals is YOU! But which one? Am I the rooster who keeps the rules of the fast, but misses the spirit of the fast entirely? Am I the cat who doesn’t want to fast and abhors those who flaunt that they are fasting? Am I the church mouse secretly keeping the fast and quietly trying to help those around me in need? Am I the hamster who has genuine medical problems and cannot keep the fast like everyone else, but is deeply thankful for what I do have? This story challenges us to think - Who do I think Caring for those who are sick I am? Who am I really? Who do I want to be?

During , we provide our children For Parents & Teachers with learning opportunities by attending as Worship, Teaching, & Praxis many Lenten services as possible, explaining the lessons being offered during Lent (the themed Dr. Constance Tarasar wrote her doctoral Sundays, why we have so many different dissertation on A Process Model for the Design of services, etc), and also leading by example as Curriculum for Orthodox Christian Religious we fast, pray, help others, read our Bible, and Education. She explains that we pass our go to Holy Confession. It is through this active Orthodox Christian faith on to our children participation in Great Lent that we teach our through a synergistic approach of incorporating children about their faith. participation in church services (worship), with guidance from our , teachers, and parents Our level of participation in Great Lent will look (teaching), and living our faith daily wherever different for each family, depending on we go (praxis).

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE The Pascha Passport was created by St. Spyridon in Loveland, Co. It is a tool to help parents and teachers guide and nurture children during the Lenten journey towards Pascha.

It is set up as a passport with spots designated for stickers showing each child’s participation in the services and boxes to check for participation in prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and reading the Bible. This small book includes a short explanation of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, the different services, and the Sundays of Great Lent.

2 circumstances, but our goal each and every year is to increase our participation in all aspects of Lessons & Activities Great Lent. It is a journey that prepares us for Making the Most of Them the greatest of all feasts - Pascha! We process and learn information through all of our senses. The Church, in all her wisdom, “Another example is the structure knows this and incorporates all of our senses and content of our Lenten during the , which is a teaching services. They cannot truly be service. It’s important to remember this when understood unless we know that we are preparing our lessons for our students, their purpose is mainly regardless of their age. The more senses we engage during the lesson, the more likely the catechetical. In the early Christian student will retain the information long term. Church the baptism of catechumens took place during the vigil Therefore, when planning your lessons, try to service on the night preceding avoid only using one mode of teaching. For example, only having a verbal discussion. It’s ; and Lent, therefore, was a important to provide visual notes or pictures to time of intensive preparation for go along with the discussion. If at all possible - the of Enlightenment, and it’s not always possible - provide an element that incorporates the students’ sight, as baptism was then often called.” hearing, smell, taste, and the ability to have a - Fr. Alexander Schmemann hands-on element during the lesson. Again, it’s not always going to be feasible to include all the senses, but try to include as many as Pascha at the Duckpond is an opportunity for us possible. to discuss with our children the different attitudes one can have during Lent. Both our Secondly, think carefully about what you plan level of effort and mindset will impact our for your lesson. Does each element of the lesson participation during this time. We can guide support the goal? Try to avoid “filler” activities and nurture our children by explaining to them as part of the main lesson. Save those for if you that we approach all of these aspects during finish earlier than expected and have some time Lent humbly, repentantly, and with the firm left over before parents pick up their children. If conviction that we want to improve as we strive you choose to provide a coloring sheet, ask to grow closer to God. Even more important yourself, “How does this support the lesson’s than simply explaining this to them - is living it goal?” If you plan to have a discussion about ourselves. Quietly, humbly, and attentively. the picture and then color it - great! If not, use Sophie Koulomzin insightfully reminds us, “You it for the children who finish early to keep them can teach only that which you have made your occupied. In the classroom setting, we have own…” Where are we on this spiritual journey such a short period of time with our kids for and what can we do this year to continue our religious education. Let’s make the most of it! progress as well?

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Pas c h a at t h e D u c k p o n d

LESSON & ACTIVITIES FOR AGES 4 - 6

Charity the Church Mouse wanted to make Goal: Who do I want to be in the story? sure she took care of people who needed help. She even went looking for Rigid and Read Pascha at the Duckpond by Mother Capers when they didn’t show up to Melania to your children. church. That’s a really nice friend!

Ask the children: Did Rigid the Rooster try to help people? Activity: Chris is Risen! (Yes) 1. Practice singing, “Christ is Risen!”

What did he do? 2. Learn how to respond to “Christ is (He brought a vaporizer to Henry the Risen!” in more than one language. Hamster) There is a list of responses in the back of Pascha at the Duckpond. Teach your Did Rigid like being thanked for his gift? children the most common responses (Yes - It’s always nice when someone says used at your parish first. thank you, but we should give gifts because it’s the nice thing to do, not to get Activity: Helping Others recognition for those gifts.) 1. Go on a hunt around your house to find Who do you think did the best job of being all the coins. Then put them in the tray nice and taking care of other people? at church. (Charity the Church Mouse) 2. What can you do when someone in Why? your house doesn’t feel good? You (She did it just to be nice. She enjoyed could bring them a drink, a blanket, a being with Henry and just wanted to help box of tissues, their phone, or a snack. him. She wasn’t interested in getting any Sometimes just snuggling someone recognition from him for being nice.) and talking to them can help them feel better too.

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Pas c h a at t h e D u c k p o n d

LESSON & ACTIVITIES FOR AGES 7 - 10

Charity the Church Mouse: She secretly Goal: How should we act, especially fasts and only wants to help others in any during Great Lent? way she can without receiving any Read Pascha at the Duckpond by Mother recognition for what she’s done. She truly Melania to your children. loves her neighbor. Why is this the ideal way to act during Lent? (And throughout Ask your children about the different the year) characteristics of each of the animals. Can you name some ways that we act during Activity: Chris is Risen! Lent that resembles these animals? 1. Practice singing, “Christ is Risen!” Rigid the Rooster: He focuses more on the rules and the outward actions of Lent, but 2. Learn how to respond to “Christ is neglects to work on humility and Risen!” in more than one language. repentance. What do we do during Lent? There is a list of responses in the back (We put forth extra effort to go to church of Pascha at the Duckpond. Teach your more often, fast, pray, help others, read the children the most common responses Bible, and go to Holy Confession.) What used at your parish first. are humility and repentance? Why are they important? Activity: Helping Others 1. Ask your mom or dad if they could take Capers the Cat: He is not interested in you to the grocery store to buy some participating Lent at all. Why? Why is Lent non-perishable foods. Then donate important? them to your church or local food pantry. Henry the Hamster: He gets sick during Lent. How does he react to the help he 2. Coordinate a church cleaning day receives? Who helps him? Who did the before Pascha for your students and best job helping him and why? provide each of them with a task.

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Pas c h a at t h e D u c k p o n d

LESSONS & ACTIVITY FOR OLDER STUDENTS

else? If he’s with others, are they St. Basil Goal: What does the Paschal Homily of the Great and St. Gregory the Theologian? St. mean? If so, why? (They are known as the Three Part of the Paschal Homily from St. John Hierarchs. Each of them were bishops and Chrysostom is provided in the book, Pascha wrote extensively about God.) at the Duckpond. Read the homily in its entirety and discuss with your students. Activity: Pascha at the Duckpond Play

Goal: Who is St. John Chrysostom? Create a play for your parish, class, homeschool co-op, or family! St. John Chrysostom was a bishop and lived from 347 - 407A.D. He was a gifted Assign roles for each of the animals in the speaker and thus called Chrysostom or book. golden-mouthed. He wrote the sermon that Orthodox priests read to us every year Choose whether each child brings their on Pascha. (See above) own costume (make-shift / homemade ones are great) or if they will be purchased What else did St. John Chrysostom do? by the church, co-op, or families. (He wrote extensively about God and is known as a Church Father, he gave Write a script: generously to those in need and helped - Each of the animals will speak their lines them any way he could, he added to the from the book Divine Liturgy which we celebrate almost - The narrator(s) shall speak the rest of the every Sunday, and more!) parts - Make sure to include a moral to the story: Look at an of St. John Chrysostom. Great Lent is about our preparation for What is he wearing? () Pascha through humility, love, repentance, What is he holding? (Oftentimes, a Gospel) prayer, fasting, & almsgiving. We may Is he depicted by himself or with someone stumble, but we keep trying to do better.

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